


The Ballad of Lost Souls

by devil_may_care_00



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 05:05:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4209006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devil_may_care_00/pseuds/devil_may_care_00
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean enters the barn to kill Cain, and comes out a new man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ballad of Lost Souls

He promised himself that he wouldn’t go dark, that he wouldn’t put his brother and his angel in harm’s way. But he should’ve known, life is never ever that easy. He felt it coming, when he and Cain started circling each other in the barn, but he resisted. He held himself back, because maybe, just maybe, he would be able to control the darkness if he didn’t let it all out.  
“I’m saving you!” Cain says. Dean very nearly balks at the very thought of the father of murder, saving him.  
“Saving me from what?” Dean replies cautiously.  
“From your fate. Has it ever occurred to you? Have you never mused upon the fact that you are living my life in reverse? My story began when I killed my brother, and that's where your story will inevitably end,” Cain clarified, almost chuckling. Dean’s stomach twisted.  
“No. Never,” he spat back, his fists clenching. His gaze darted to the first blade, clutched in Cain’s hand.  
“It's called the Mark of Cain for a reason! First, first you'd kill Crowley -- there'd be some strange mixed feelings on that one, but you'd have your reason, get it done, no remorse. And then you'd kill the angel Castiel, now that one, that I suspect would hurt something awful. And then! Then would come the murder you'd never survive, the one that would finally turn you into as a much of a savage as it did me...” Cain’s voice was dripping with a bizarre mix of giddiness, and remorse.  
“No,” Dean growled, digging his nails into the palm of his hand.  
“Your brother Sam,” Cain almost sang out. He raised his arm, gesturing to the knife clutched between his fingers. “The only thing standing between you and that destiny, is this blade. You’re welcome my son.”  
In a blur of motion, Cain is on top of Dean, and ready to plunge the blade into his chest. Dean, ever resourceful, makes a grab for the knife in Cain’s belt. When he feels his hand wrap around the cool hilt of the weapon, he pulls it out, and whips his arm around, slicing off Cain’s hand.  
The man bearing the Mark of Cain picks up the first blade ever made, and feels the power rush through him. After so long, the wave sets his insides on fire, and by God, the power, the feeling that he is invincible, the knowledge that with this blade in his hand, he’s a force of nature that nobody can stop, it’s intoxicating.  
“Tell me that I don’t have to do this,” Dean nearly sobs, because he knows that if he crosses the line, if he kills again, he won’t be able to stop this time. “Tell me you can stop!” he yells.  
“I’ll never stop,” Cain utters. Dean’s body shudders, but he takes a deep breath, raises his arm, and plunges the first blade into Cain’s back. In that moment, the all-powerful father of murder becomes nothing more than a man, and another name that Dean can add to his kill list.  
He stands up straight, turning towards the barn door. He can feel the darkness surging through him, and he can feel himself losing the battle. He’s exhausted, physically, and emotionally, and when he drags himself out the door, and down the stairs, he can see the worry in the eyes of everyone waiting for him. He looks into the eyes of Crowley, his brother, and his angel, and makes a decision.  
“Do you remember your promise Cas?” he questions, his voice gravelly. The angel nods his head grimly, because he knows Dean better than anybody, in this case, even Sam. Cas moves to stand just in front of Sam.  
“Dean are you okay? Is there anything we can do?” Sam asks, a little breathless. Dean looks at his brother, whom he had dedicated his whole life to protecting, the brother he had sacrificed everything for. He let out a low chuckle.  
“Yeah Sammy there is one thing,” Dean said, his voice low. His eyes went dark. “Run.”


End file.
